Kagome return chapter 10
Rebirth
Kagome grimaces. "Sango. Sesshomaru and I did something similar to this during our travels. But, Tenseiga was with us." She licks her lips. "I think, I hope, that my healing spells, which have improved during my travels, will work. But, I can't promise you anything."
Sango nods. Her body is tense, but, she is standing next to her brother's body.
Kagome places her hands on Kohaku body. Her hands glow. His body glows . . .
The glow fades. Kohaku's body is healed, but it is still dead.
"I wish that Tenseiga were here." Kagome whispers as she stands up and looks at Kanna.
Kanna looks back at Kagome.
Sesshomaru frowns. "Wait." He orders.
"Huh?" everyone looks at him.
HE points up into the air. "Something is approaching."
Everyone looks up.
An oni is flying toward them. It crash-lands nearby.
"Tetsusaiga!" Inu-yasha yells. 'I can feel it.' He thinks.
Kagome smiles. 'The swords.' She thinks. 'Somehow they came back. Now. Everything will be all right.'
Kagome, Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha rush to the Oni's body.
"How do you feel?" Miroku asks as he and Sango remain next to her brother's body.
Sango looks at him, sharply. "Not right now, Monk."
Miroku stares back, "I meant nothing more with that question, than what a friend would ask another friend." Sango swallows, and looks down at her brother's body. "I. .. "She begins, then continues, "I don't know. I wish, I hope."
Miroku reaches out and puts his hand on her shoulder, and only her shoulder, and gently squeezes. "My hopes ride with yours."
Sango looks at his hand. She looks at his other hand, which, he has placed behind him, as far away from her as possible. She looks back at her brother and whispers, "thank you."
At the oni's body . . .
"Here is your sword." Sesshomaru says as he hands Kagome Jaa Kalpa. His two swords are already in place at his side.
"Thank you," She replies, as she accepts the sword and begins to place it around her waist.
"Kagome?" Inu-yasha asks, puzzled, as he places his sword around his waist.
Kagome draws her sword, and holding it between her spread hands, shows it to Inu-yasha. "May I present, Jaa Kalpa, Inu-yasha. I found it during my travels. It saved my life and Sesshomaru's life during them."
"Its not as powerful as our families swords," Sesshomaru says, right on the heels of Kagome's statement, "but, it allows her to focus her power in combat better. All in all, a very useful weapon, that, as she said, has saved our lives."
Inu-yasha looks at the sword and then at Kagome and Sesshomaru. He smiles, and begins to laugh.
"Inu-yasha!?" Kagome asks.
"You're so weak that you needed her?" Inu-yasha says between chuckles. "She saved your life?"
Sesshomaru growls. He opens his mouth, but at Kagome's touch, he shuts it.
"Inu-yasha, if you could, please tell me how you would have survived, say, Yura, without me?" Kagome asks in a sweet-sounding voice.
Inu-yasha stops laughing. He looks at Kagome. She smiles back, sweetly, raising an eyebrow as a silent request for an answer.
He looks at Sesshomaru, standing behind her, in a supporting position. Sesshomaru also raises an eyebrow.
Inu-yasha growls, a very ugly sound.
"Kagome!" Sango calls, interrupting them, from where her brother is still lying. "Is everything ok?"
Inu-yasha spins and stomps toward Sango, angrily, his feet kicking at the grass, and punting large divots into the distance.
Kagome sighs, heavily, but follows. Sesshomaru follows her.
At Kohaku's body . . .
Sango kneels next the body. Kagome kneels next to the head of the body, as well.
Kanna places her mirror on the body. Kohaku's soul seeps out of the mirror and floats, for a second, over the body.
Sesshomaru stands over the body and swings Tenseiga, swiftly and cleanly through the soul and the body. The force of the swing drags the soul through the body.
Kagome grips the head as she concentrates on her healing spell.
Kohaku's body shudders and flops, like electricity is being driven through it.
The body stills . . .
He opens his eyes and screams, "NO! I wanted to stay dead!" Sango instantly picks him up and hugs him. "You're alive!" she cries.
"No! Please!" Kohaku cries, "I've done horrible things, please. Let me die, so I can forget them!"
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru, Miroku, Inu-yasha, Kikyo and Kanna.
Kanna and Kikyo stare back, without emotion.
Inu-yasha grimaces, but doesn't do anything else.
Miroku grimaces, but says, "Kohaku, it wasn't your fault, you were controlled."
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow, and he doesn't sheath Tenseiga.
"That doesn't matter!" Kohaku cries. "You don't know what I've done!"
"Everything will be fine." Sango cries, as she continues to hug him. "Now that we're together, we'll make it better."
"No! We can't!" Kohaku cries, then he begins to bawl, tears falling down his cheeks as he hugs his sister.
Sango starts to rock back and forth, hugging him, and softly crooning a child's lullaby, Kohaku favorite, from his childhood.
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asks, since she sees that he has not sheathed his sword.
"I might be able to help." He replies. "Or rather, Tenseiga might."
"How?" Miroku asks, before anyone else can.
"Tenseiga is a healing sword. His spirit is damaged and hurting."
Sango lifts her head from Kohaku shoulder. Her bloodshot and crying eyes lock on Sesshomaru's. "Can you? What would be the cost?"
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow, "Have I asked for anything? You are Higurashi Kagome's best friend. For that alone, I would help you to the fullest extent of my powers."
Sango, Miroku, Kikyo and Kanna look at kagome. Kagome blushes purple. Inu-yasha spins around and kicks a huge divot into the tree line, far, far away.
Kohaku lifts his head off Sango's shoulder. "If you can help me, please, do it . . . "he begs.
Sesshomaru looks at Sango.
Sango takes a deep breath, and then nods, once, sharply.
Tenseiga swings through Kohaku and Sango.
Sango stiffens.
Kohaku closes his eyes and slumps against his sister.
"What happened?" Sango asks as she gently places him on the ground.
"I think, Sango, that what Sesshomaru did overwhelm him. And he went to sleep, so his mind could adjust." Kagome slowly says.
Kanna scoops up her mirror, from where it fell, when Sango started to hug Kohaku. She places a scroll in Sango's hand.
Sango looks at the group. Everyone, except Sesshomaru and Kikyo nod.
Kanna looks at Kikyo. Kikyo looks back. "I am not part of their group." Kikyo replies to her silent question. "However, I also have no quarrel with you."
Kanna nods at Kikyo, then looks Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. "I, too, have not been part of their encounters with you." He raises a hand, preventing anyone from interrupting him. (A glare at Inu-yasha, accompanies that gesture, just too safe.) "However, I will swear with along with them, IF you swear to have no dealings with my mother or any of her agents, now or in the future."
Sesshomaru thinks, 'My mother wasn't here earlier, nor was anyone else from my clan. If she was, or they were, since I am still the official head of the clan, they would have had to have made some attempt to save me. By not showing up, they can always come up with some excuse about why they weren't here. If Naraku had won, they would have used one excuse. Since we won, should I ask, they'll no doubt, say that they were planning a rescue, but things happened so quickly, that it wasn't possible to accomplish a rescue plan. If my mother bothers to give any explanation at all, or I bother to ask.'
"Sesshomaru's mother?" Miroku mouths as he looks at Kagome.
Kagome grimaces and mouths, "later." Back to him.
The mention of Sesshomaru's mother, does cause Inu-yasha to glare at Sesshomaru, his jaws grinding his teeth together in anger.
Kanna looks at Sesshomaru, and her normally emotionless eyes spark, with something . . .
He looks back at her, also, emotionlessly. His lips curl, showing his fangs. "If you are spying for my mother, I will, of course, destroy you, now." His hand caresses Tokijin's hilt.
A timeless pause.
Kanna nods, once. Her voice sounds like something long dead as she says, "I agree to your terms, Lord of the Western Lands." She waves her hand over her mirror.
Sesshomaru smiles as his mystical senses hear his mother scream of rage as the connection to the mirror fades. He nods to Kanna and removes his hand from his sword.
Miroku frowns as he thinks, 'I wonder, exactly what is Kanna doing? She saved Kohaku soul, why? And then, there is some connection with Sesshomaru's mother? Why?'
He slowly nods, as he continues to think, 'She must have planned for Naraku's defeat. Kohaku's soul was to bribe her way away from us, and to a drag a promise from us of not attacking her. Sesshomaru's mother, though, was Kanna perhaps going to offer her services to her? And if so, what was she going to get out of it?'
He purses his lips, 'Hmm. Questions that I don't think that she'll answer, now. So, I must remember them, and during our next encounter with Kanna, see if I can solve them.'
Each one of the group reads the scroll that Kanna provided out loud, agreeing to her terms. (Miroku, by the way, went first. Inu-yasha, by the way, barely glanced at the scroll, before parroting what Miroku and the others said.)
Kanna quickly leaves, after that.
Miroku looks at Sango, who is still holding onto to her brother's unconscious body. He, then, asks, glancing at Kagome, "Kagome? What about your family?"
Kagome, who had been kneeling next to Sango, trying to comfort her best friend, looks at him. "They are next. I just don't know what to with Kohaku."
Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha and Kikyo are standing off to one side, Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha exchanging glares. Kikyo faintly smiling. "Could you explain?" Miroku asks.
Kagome sighs, "My first thought was to have you and Sango go through the well with me."
"We cannot." He replies.
"I've found a way for you to go through the well, both of you." Kagome replies. "But, with Kohaku unconscious, I don't know." She grimaces. "I'd like to bring him through, as well. I think a real doctor needs to look at him."
"Do you doubt Tenseiga's power?" Sesshomaru asks in surprise.
Kagome shakes her head, no. "I don't doubt that, Sesshomaru. But, I would like to know exactly what Tenseiga did."
Sango looks at her friend. "Do you think it'll be dangerous?"
Kagome shakes her head, no. "I don't think so. Rin and Shippo went through when they were unconscious. I just . . . I just didn't know if that was what you wanted, Sango."
Sango looks at her brother, then back at Kagome. "You have told stories at the doctors on your side of the well, Kagome." She nods, sharply. "I would like to get my brother examined by them."
She nods to Sesshomaru. "While I trust the lord of the western lands, I feel, that it is in my best interest, and the best interest of my brother, to get him the best medical care possible."
Sesshomaru nods. "Acceptable."
"Then, lets get to the damned well." Inu-yasha growls. "And get this over with."
Kikyo smiles, "it is good to see that you are prepared for what follows, Inu-yasha."
Inu-yasha opens and closes his mouth, 'that's not what I meant.' He thinks. 'I was talking about Sesshomaru and Kagome and what happened during their trip. I want to know that, but until Kagome's has her family back, she's not going to say a thing.'
He looks at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru allows his lips to quirks up. Inu-yasha thinks, 'he knows what I was thinking about, even if Kikyo doesn't.'
Kagome looks at Kikyo. She looks at inu-yasha. "kikyo." She states.
Kikyo looks at Kagome.
Kagome, with a little hesitation, begins to speak, "kikyo, the method to get others through the well, requires mixing my blood or inu-yasha's blood with a living creature."
"So, I will not be able to go with you." Kikyo states.
Kagome nods. 'At least I think so.' She thinks, 'although the well has always been less strict about nonliving objects going through it. My backpack, when totally full, weighs close to Kikyo's weight. And since she's nonliving, she might be able to go through, without any problem. But I'm not going to tell her that.' Kagome finishes thinking.
Kikyo looks at Inu-yasha. Inu-yasha shrugs. "I don't know. She probably figured it out, since the brat and Rin went through covered with my blood." He replies to her unspoken question.
Kikyo purses her lips. "In that case, I want Inu-yasha to remain on this side of the well." "Huh!?" Kagome exclaims/questions.
"I do not know what is through that well, reincarnation." Kikyo replies. "And, as you stated earlier, there have been, in the past, too many tricks between us. I will not allow Inu-yasha out of my sight."
Kagome thinks, 'we could just ignore her. I know where the souls are . . . but in that case, how are we better than Naraku or her? I must show that I am, we are, trustworthy.'
"Inu-yasha?" Kagome asks.
Inu-yasha looks at Kagome. He looks at Kikyo. His eyes narrow as he glares at Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru stays on this side, as well." He growls. 'No way am I letting Kagome and him together, out of my sight.' He thinks.
Kagome looks at Sesshomaru. Everyone else looks at him as well.
'My plans.' Kikyo thinks in a semi-panic. 'Without Tenseiga, how can they raise her family? And if her family isn't alive, then Inu-yasha doesn't have to follow me to hell. Sesshomaru must go thru the well.'
Kikyo opens her mouth to speak, but . . .
Sesshomaru removes Tenseiga from his side and places it in Kagome's hands. "You have used Tenseiga before. You have my permission to do so, again."
Kagome bows deeply to Sesshomaru. "Thank you, Lord of the western lands."
Sesshomaru waves off the bow, "let us get you through the well."
Kagome starts to walk toward the well, but she stops, in her tracks, "What about the bodies? They need to be on the other side of the well!"
Miroku says, "dead bodies commonly vanish in the well. I believe, that if they are with us, they will travel with us."
Kagome slowly nods. "That makes sense." Kikyo's eyebrow raises, "Then, I can also travel through that well. Since I am dead."
Miroku's eyes narrow, and he thinks, 'I'm sure that Kagome would not like Kikyo to travel through the well, so.'
"You might be dead, Miko Kikyo, but your body is not dead. It is a creation of clay and magic. The well is full of magic. Do you wish to take the chance that the magic of the well, might not disrupt the magic that holds you to that body?" Miroku asks.
He smiles, "I am sure that I, at least, would be happy, if you appeared on the other side of the well, and then you collapse, as the magic of the well, destroys you."
Kikyo opens her mouth. She closes it, and looks at Inu-yasha. Inu-yasha shrugs. "I don't know. There is a lot of magic in that well. What it would do to you, I don't know." He says.
Kagome looks at Miroku, smiling. He smiles back at her, nodding gently.
Kikyo huffs, then says, "Very well. Inu-yasha and I will remain on this side of the well."
"Until you return, telling me that your family is alive, nothing will happen." Inu-yasha tells Kagome.
"No. If your family is alive, you will bring them through the well." Kikyo demands. "I'm not going to have you lie and say it didn't work and keep Inu- yasha from going to hell with me."
Kagome glares at kikyo. "I wouldn't. But, I will bring them through the well, If for no other reason than, I would like them to attend Keade's funeral."
A pause . . .
"Since everything has been decided," Sesshomaru begins. "Inu-yasha and I will bring Kagome's families bodies to the well, and then everyone that is going thru will go through the well."
Sesshomaru and inu-yasha gather up the bodies, Kagome is going with them to make sure everything is ok.
Kikyo stands off to one side, eyeing them, but she doesn't walk with them.
Miroku goes over to Sango. "You haven't said much." He says, as Sango stands up, carrying her brother's body.
"What?" Sango asks, as she looks at him. "I've been watching Kohaku, not paying attention."
Miroku looks at Kohaku, "is there a problem?"
"His eyes. He might be asleep, but his eyes are rolling back and forth." Sango whispers. "I don't know if that's a good or bad sign."
Miroku looks at Kohaku. "It's good."
Sango looks at him. "Are you sure."
Miroku nods. "Of course, I am."
Sango allows a small smile on her face. "Thank you."
Miroku bows his head to her. "My pleasure."
He thinks, 'I don't know is it's good or bad. But, she needed to hear something good, so I told her that.'
With Kagome, Sesshomaru, and Inu-yasha, as they gather up the bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather.
"Kagome?" Inu-yasha asks as he growls and glares at Sesshomaru.
Kagome looks at Inu-yasha and then, following his glare, at Sesshomaru.
"Inu-yasha." Kagome whispers, tears forming in her eyes. "Please. Can it wait? Please."
Sesshomaru, glaring at Inu-yasha, says, "if you're leaving with the corpse does it matter?"
Inu-yasha growls, wordlessly.
"Please, Inu-yasha." Kagome begs. "Once things settle down, I do want to talk to you and tell you what happened, please. Just don't force it, now. Please." Tears begin to fall down her face.
Inu-yasha kicks a divot into the tree line. He closes his mouth and doesn't speak.
At the well . . .
Sesshomaru, since without Kagome's blood he won't activate the well, places the bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather at the bottom of the well.
Sango is carrying her brother's body. Inu-yasha, using his claws, cuts Sango's palm and the palm of her brother. Kagome, her palm already cut, grabs both of the hands with one hand.
Miroku and Kagome's bloody palms are already together in the grasp of her other hand.
They stand on the edge of the well. Kagome says, "On three, we jump."
Miroku and Sango chorus, "yes."
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
They jump into the well.
The well glows blue.
Sesshomaru, Inu-yasha and Kikyo look over the edge of the well. It is empty.
Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha look at each other.
They growl, softly, at each other.
"Well, little brother?" Sesshomaru purrs.
"Well, what? Asshole." Inu-yasha growls back.
The glare between them heats up. . . .
"Why are you, upset, Inu-yasha?" Kikyo asks. "Soon, you'll be with me, forever, not her."
Inu-yasha opens and closes his mouth, as he tries to think of an answer . . .
On the other side of the well . . .
"Are you sure, kid?" Ranma asks. "I've asked Kagome about finding a cure many times, and she's always said no."
Shippo replies, hotly, "I'm not a kid. And Kagome was always afraid of her magic, so she never really knew much. I'm a kitsune, and changing shapes is easy."
He smirks, "I know that my father and mother changed humans into other creatures. And I remember, once, father turning a squirrel into a beautiful young woman, as a bribe to a samurai that had him trapped. On the other side of the well, I've got their spell book. Locating the spell that changes things into humans, shouldn't be hard to find. Then, I can cast it on you, and instant cure!"
Ranma grunts. "Ok. Kid. Shippo." He opens the well house door. "Let's figure out a way through the well." He and Shippo enter the well house.
"I don't know, Ranma." Akane says as she follows them. "Kagome was always pretty straight forward about this, and she didn't want anyone to disturb it."
Rin and Sota also enter the well house.
The well house glows blue . . .
Ranma, Shippo and Akane instantly stand on the edge of the well and look down.
Kagome looks up. "Akane? Ranma?"
"What happened?" Akane cries. "Your mother? Your grandfather?" she points at their bodies.
"Who are you?" Ranma asks Miroku and Sango.
"Sango! Miroku!" Shippo calls out, "Kagome! What happened?"
"Naraku is what happened." Kagome replies. She opens her mouth, obviously about to scream at Shippo. Then she shakes her head, no.
"Are they?" Sota whispers, as he and Rin finally make it to the edge of the well.
Kagome swallows, but bows her head and doesn't say anything.
Miroku, speaking in a firm tone, says, "Everything will be fine. Right now, Kagome's Mother's soul and her grandfather's soul are missing from their bodies. We know where they are, and we know how to reestablish their souls back into the bodies."
Sota looks at Kagome, his eyes clouding up, "is that true, sis?"
Kagome licks her lips and nods up at the top of the well. "Basically."
Sota sighs.
"Sesshomaru?" Rin asks quietly.
"He's ok." Kagome replies. "He just had to stay on the other side, Rin. You'll be with him soon."
Rin smiles.
"Hey, Kagome." Ranma asks. "Shippo, here." He places his hand on Shippo's shoulder. "Was talking about some sort of magic to change me into a full man? What do you know about that?"
Kagome looks at Shippo.
Shippo looks back, "We needed help getting through the well."
"And?" Kagome asks.
Shippo shrugs, "He'd be on this side of the well, before the spell wore off, so I didn't see any problem."
Ranma's hand squeezes Shippo's shoulder. "You lied to me." He hisses.
Shippo looks at him, "helping Kagome is far more important than telling the truth."
Ranma's mouth opens at that bald statement.
"Since you two are here," Kagome calls up. "Akane and Ranma, could you help me with their bodies? I need to get them as close to the god tree as possible."
"Sure." Akane replies and she jumps down the well.
Ranma glares at Shippo. Shippo returns the glare. He smirks, "I am a kitsune, Ranma. I wasn't lying about changing shapes. I did lie about what I could change and how long it would last. Do you want me to test those spells on you?" His eyes flick up and down Ranma's body. "Say I turn you into a dog or a cat?"
Ranma quickly lets go of Shippo. He glares at him, but jumps down the well.
Sota looks at Shippo. "Could you really?"
Shippo smiles, mysteriously, back.
Rin whispers in Sota's ears, "when he's older."
"Oh." Sota says in disappointment.
"Why did you have to tell him that, Rin?" Shippo pouts. His sensitive hearing did hear her whisper.
Rin smiles back at Shippo, and doesn't say a word.
Down at the bottom of the well . . .
"Kagome?" Akane whispers, as she touches the body of Mrs.H, and she glances up at Sota, Shippo and Rin at the top of the well. "You know, I'm not feeling a pulse . . . "
"I know." Kagome says, hastily. "I can bring them back, Akane, I just need their bodies to be next to the God Tree."
"But they're dead?" Ranma asks. "How?"
Kagome shakes her head. "I can do it. Please, Ranma, just bring them next to the God tree." Akane and Ranma look at each other, shrug, and pick up the bodies of Kagome's mother and grandfather. They leave the well.
"Go ahead and climb out of the well, Miroku, Sango." Kagome says to her two friends as she heals their cut palms. "I'll be right behind you."
Kagome calls up to the top of the well, "Sota, Shippo, Rin, stay there, I'll introduce everyone once we're out of the well."
"Ok." They chorus.
Sango, using her superhuman strength jumps out of the well, still holding her brother.
Miroku easily climbs out of the well, especially after Sota remembers to let down the rope ladder. (Almost hitting him on the head with it, as it tumbles down the well.)
Kagome as she watches everyone climb out of the well, leans back against the side of the well. She sighs heavily and almost moans, 'I couldn't let them see it but, I feel awful.' She thinks. 'I was feeling great, even after all that happened tonight, my body was feeling super, even supercharged, then I arrive on this side of the well, and it's like half, or more than half of me is missing.'
She purses her lips, 'Do I have the strength to bring them back?' After a deep breath, she thinks, 'Yes. I will. No matter what, I will have the strength. If necessary, Miroku can help.'
"Kagome?" Sango asks from the top of the well.
Kagome looks up, and replies, "I'm coming, Sango! I just wanted to catch my breath. Things have been happening pretty quickly."
Sango nods, "fine."
"You're Sango?" Sota asks her.
Sango nods to him, "yes. And your Kagome's brother, Sota."
He nods, smiling.
"I am Miroku." Miroku says as he introduces himself. "And I'm pleased you, Sota." He bows to him.
Sota bows back. "So you're Miroku. Huh."
Miroku raises an eyebrow. "Hmmm? I am a monk."
"You're a lecherous monk." Sango replies. "And I'm sure that Kagome has told him about it."
"Not really." Kagome says as she climbs out of the well. "But, sometimes, it slipped out."
"Slipped out?" Sota exclaims. "What about that time when you and mom were arguing over that magazine. I could hear you all the way up to the top of the stairs!"
"You were supposed to be asleep, Sota!" Kagome replies, hotly. "And, mom finally agreed with me."
Miroku looks back and forth between Kagome and Sota, 'I wonder, what are they talking about?'
"But, that's not important right now." Kagome continues, "Let's get to the god tree and help grandfather and mother."
"Ok." Sota replies.
Rin asks Sango, "Is he?" she points to Sango's brother, still in her arms.
"He's alive and he's free of Naraku's control." Sango replies. "But, the shock was too much and he's unconscious. Once we finish with helping with Kagome's mother and grandfather, Kagome has promised to bring him to a doctor, to find out what happened."
Rin nods. She smiles. "Sota showed Rin a book with many, many flowers in it. He promised that when his mother was home, she'd take Rin where the flowers are. Rin will bring him back some."
Sango smiles, "he'll like that, Rin."
"Come on." Kagome says as she opens the well house door. "Welcome to my world." She smiles.
Sango and Miroku stop, their jaws dropping, as they gaze upon modern Tokyo.
"Those buildings are man-made?" Miroku asks as he points to the tallest buildings he can see.
"Yes, Miroku. Made by people. And there are much taller buildings in the city as well."
Miroku bows, accepting her explanation. 'I've known, from her stories, about these huge buildings, but seeing them is a lot different from hearing about them.' He thinks.
"The air." Sango begins, she coughs, "It seems foul. Is there some evil demon in the area? I cannot sense it, but, I've only smelled worse air around major demons."
Kagome sniffs. She looks at Sota, raises an eyebrow. "Sota? Did you listen the weather, this morning?"
Sota shrugs, "not really. I think is pretty normal smog. I don't remember hearing any special warning about air-pollution."
Kagome looks at Sango. "That's just how the air smells here, Sango. It can get better and it can get worse."
"Your house." Miroku points to the Higurashi residence.
Kagome nods. "Once, we're finished at the god tree, Miroku. I'll show you both around it." She smiles at Sango. "How would you like to take a real bath?"
Sango smiles. "I'll enjoy that immensely, Kagome. Is it true that there will be a thick door between us and Miroku?"
Kagome smiles. "Yes."
Miroku frowns. "Ladies. Please, I am not planning on spying on you in the bath."
Sango and Kagome smiles grow larger.
"Hey! Kagome!" Ranma calls. "Is this ok?!" He points to were Kagome's mother and grandfather's bodies are at. They are at the base of the god tree.
Kagome calls, "They're fine, Ranma. I'll be there in a second." She looks at everyone. They look at each other, then at her. Everyone nods at Kagome.
Kagome and the others go to the god tree. "Miroku." Kagome begins. "I might need to tap your spiritual strength."
Miroku bows. "It is yours, Lady Kagome."
Kagome looks at her mother's and grandfather's body as she stands over them, trying to decide who is first. 'Mother.' She thinks.
She kneels next to her mother's head. She gestures Miroku to sit next to her. "Place your hands on me, Miroku." She states.
Miroku's eyebrow raises, "I never thought that hear you say that, lady Kagome."
Sango, a death threat in her voice, says, "be careful where you touch her."
Miroku sighs, heavily and places his hands on Kagome's shoulders.
Akane, how along with everyone else, has moved away from the tree, looks at Sota. Sango takes this chance to gently place her brother on the ground, near the god tree, but not near the bodies of Kagome's family.
Sota looks back, "Did she ever tell you about Miroku and his hands? How he is a pervert?"
Akane's eye change, becoming harder, she nods, once. "I remember now. Monk." She orders Miroku, "If you touch her the wrong way, you'll regret it." She waves her fist at Miroku.
Miroku sighs, the long suffering sigh of a person that has been misunderstood all his life.
Ranma, catching the byplay, asks Shippo. "Shippo, you owe me, so what's going on?"
Shippo looks around. "Miroku's hands . . . wander onto places that men shouldn't touch. At least in public."
Ranma thinks about that for a second. "He gropes girls?" he asks Shippo.
"I do not grope girls." Miroku says huffily. "I show my appreciation for the beautiful women that the gods have placed on this earth."
Ranma nods. "You grope girls."
"Quiet." Kagome orders. "I've got to concentrate." She places her Tenseiga hilt nearby, so she can grab it and swing it in a hurry. She places her hands on her mother's hand, closes her eyes and . . .
In a timeless instant . . .
elsewhere, where the powers of Kagome and the Go-Shin-Boku-kami, come together . . .
"Go-Shin-Boku-Kami." She telepathically calls.
"I am here." He replies, also telepathically.
"You know what I want."
He nods. "Of course. The souls of your mother and grandfather." He waves his hand. Two glowing balls of light appear near him.
"What is the cost?" Kagome asks.
The god tree looks at Kagome. "You swallowed the acorn."
She nods.
He sighs, heavily. "That anchors you onto that reality."
Kagome slowly nods. "I'm feeling drained, weak."
He nods. "Yes. The longer you are away from that reality, the weaker you will become. The more that you use your powers, the weaker you will become, since you can't recover most of it on this world."
"You were going to force me to swallow the acorn here, weren't you." She states. "So, I would be forced to save this world, not the other."
He sighs, "I was." "Now?"
a pause . . .
"Holding onto their souls would be petty. Destroying them, would be worse the petty." The Go-Shin-Boku-kami sighs. "They are yours."
Both souls float to Kagome. She gathers them in each hand. "How did you get them to agree to give you their souls?"
"I lied." The god tree replies. "It was part of the plan to force you to swallow the acorn here." He shakes his head. "Too late now."
"Too late." Kagome replies. She nods. Her eyes narrow as she looks at him.
"You seem visibly weaker." She asks. The God tree's hair is whiter, he is not standing, quite as straight as he was earlier.
He nods. He sighs, "before, I always had the hope that somehow, someway, things would work out. And that hope . . . "
"Is gone." She says.
He nods.
Kagome moves next to him and hugs him. "I should hate you." She whispers in his ear. "And to a degree I do." He stiffens at her tone. "But, you've given me back my family. I suppose that evens things out."
She releases him. "I don't think we'll ever be friends, Go-Shin-Boku-kami. But, I won't be your enemy. And, if I can, I will help you. Not out of friendship, but, simply because, I hate to see anyone suffer."
He slumps, heavily. "Once, I considered telling you everything, soon after you started your quest. And making my appeal to you, directly, instead of trying to guide you into doing what I wanted." He pauses. "That was a mistake, I see that now. I didn't trust you enough to do what's right."
Kagome nods. "Good-bye Go-Shin-Boku-kami. I may talk to you later, but, things are liable to get hectic."
He nods. "Be careful about the well, Higurashi Kagome. Do not make any frivolous trips through it. While I am not at the end of my strength that time is soon approaching."
Kagome nods. She turns her back to him and looks at the two souls that he gave her. "Mother, grandfather?" She whispers, "I'm going to reunite you with your bodies, soon. So, be prepared."
"Kagome." Her grandfather's voice whispers.
"Yes, grandfather?"
"I died a man, did I?"
Kagome nods. "Yes."
"Let that stand. If I return . . . the next time, I will not die a man, but like the coward I was."
"Are you sure, father?" Kagome's mother whispers.
"Yes, daughter. And, can you make my body seem like it died a peaceful death, my granddaughter?"
"Of course, grandfather. Fixing your body, even, when dead, is easy. It is reuniting the souls that are difficult."
"Then do so. Make it seem like I had a heart attack. My life insurance will help the family more than my presence."
"Mother?" Kagome asks. "What do I do?"
A pause.
"Let me die a man." Kagome's grandfather whispers. "Not as a coward that bent to anyone's will. My mother, my father, my wife, your husband, even yourself, my daughter, all of you controlled me. Please let me die with dignity."
"I owe you that much, father." Mrs. H whispers.
Kagome holds her grandfather's soul in her hand. "I love you, grandfather. And I will miss you." Tears begin to flow down her cheek. "I'll miss you, too, Kagome." He replies. "Perhaps, this old man, might become a ghost and watch over you."
Kagome spins and looks at the Go-Shin-Boku-kami, who is still behind her.
He nods and holds out his hand. Kagome places her grandfather's soul in it. "Thank you." She whispers.
"My pleasure." He replies.
"Ready mother?" Kagome asks.
"One second, my daughter." Her mother's soul requests.
"Huh? Why?" she replies in surprise.
"Did you father her?" Mrs. H asks the god tree. "Your eyes. I remember them. I don't remember much of my wedding night, I was far too drunk, but I remember them."
A pause.
"I did."
"I see." Mrs. H's soul hisses. "I will speak to you, later."
"As you wish, my strength is limited, I may not answer."
"You will." She replies. "I'm ready, Kagome."
Back on earth, beside the body of her mother, Kagome opens her eyes.
In her left hand is a glowing ball of energy. She grabs Tenseiga and as she places her mother's soul on her body she swings Tenseiga through the body.
Miroku groans as Kagome drains him of power as he clutches her shoulders . . .
Mrs. H's body shudders. She opens her eyes. "I'm alive." She croaks.
"Mother!" Kagome picks up her mother and hugs her, tightly.
Mrs. H hugs back, just as tight. "That was an experience that I'd rather not do again." She says, her voice full of relief.
Kagome laughs, "Mom, do you know how many times, after an adventure, that I've had that same thought?"
Mrs. h laughs, "every time?"
"Pretty much." Kagome replies. "Having someone wave a clawed fist in your face and tell you that you're lunch, is not the sign of a nice day."
"Mother? Kagome?" Sota says.
His mother breaks her hug of Kagome and grabs him and the three of them hug. "What about grandfather?" Sota asks.
Mrs. h and Kagome exchange a glance. "He died a man. A real man, Sota and he is resting peacefully after a good and long life."
"Well, he will probably watch over you." Kagome says. "He said something like that."
"A ghost?" Sota whispers.
Kagome nods.
"Cool!" Sota exclaims. "We'll have a ghost in the house. Everyone at school will love that!"
Kagome and her mother exchange another glance.
They both begin to laugh, loud and hard.
After a couple of minutes.
They stop laughing, and Kagome and Sota help their mother stand.
"Mother." Kagome begins as she waves her hand at Sango. "May I present my best friend, Sango the demon exterminator."
Sango bows to Mrs. H.
"And, another of my friends, Miroku the monk."
Miroku bows, as well.
"I am pleased to finally meet you two in person." Mrs. H says, formally.
She walks up to Sango and hugs her. "Thank you for saving the life of my daughter." She whispers into Sango's ear.
"You . . . you're welcome." Sango replies, startled by the hug.
Mrs. H releases Sango and moves to Miroku. He raises an eyebrow.
She smiles and hugs him as well. "Thank you for helping to save the life of my daughter in so many of her adventures."
Miroku, after a shocked pause, hugs her back. His hands, quickly slide down Mrs. h's back.
"Miroku!" is growled out of the throats of three women. Kagome, Sango and Akane.
Mrs. h releases Miroku from her hug and steps back. She waves her hand at the three girls, stopping them. "Thank you for the compliment, Miroku." She smiles at him.
His mouth opens . . .
She sighs, "If I was younger." She nods to Sango. "And if we were alone, I'd probably take you up on that offer, but. I won't."
She smiles as she thinks, 'besides I have something else in mind.'
Sango looks at Mrs. H, her chin on her chest, her mouth wide open.
Akane looks at Ranma in puzzlement. Ranma shrugs in even worse puzzlement.
Kagome shakes her head, 'mom, you're confusing them on purpose.' She thinks.
"Where are Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru?" Mrs. H asks, as she looks around.
Everyone looks at Kagome. She blushes, "They had to stay on the other side of the well, Mother. And, you'll need to return with me, through the well, as well."
"Why?"
Kagome licks her lips and looks at the ground, "In order to find your soul, I had to make a deal with Kikyo."
"Stop." Mrs. h orders. She pauses, "do you have to return quickly?"
"Huh?" After a few seconds confusion, Kagome continues, "I don't think so, mom, but, they will get suspicious if we stay on this side too long."
A pause . . .
"Mother?" Kagome asks. She can see her mother thinking hard.
Mrs. h nods, sharply, once. "I would like to speak with Sango and Miroku, alone."
"May I ask why?" Miroku says.
Mrs. H smiles, "because, I owe you two something for all the times that you've helped my daughter. And this might be the one and only chance I have to say this to your face."
Miroku and Sango look at each other. After a quick glance. Sango bows to her, "Of course, mother of Higurashi Kagome, we would be honored."
Mrs. H bows back. She waves her hand at her house, "Come let's show you my house. We can put your brother in a real bed, get something to eat and drink, and then, we'll talk."
Miroku and Sango, after she picks up her brother, follow her into the house, closely followed by Sota, Rin, and Shippo.
Kagome looks at Akane and Ranma. Akane smiles, "We'll go home, it sounds like you've got enough to worry about."
"Thank you, Akane. I was going to ask that." Kagome sighs.
"I've still got problems with that Shippo." Ranma growls.
"Is Sango your best friend?" Akane asks in a soft voice.
Kagome nods. "You're also a very good friend." Kagome smiles, "And she's probably stronger and a better fighter than you are."
Ranma's eyes spark, "Stronger and better than Akane, that's nothing, anybody." He stops talking. It's hard to do that when your flying away, from Akane's fist.
"Call me." Akane says, "I would like to meet her."
"I will, if I can." Kagome replies.
Akane nods and leaves.
Kagome enters her house.
End of the chapter.
Prevue chapter 11 the Higurashi family.
"For your friendship with my daughter, and for all the help that you've given her, I want to give you something." Mrs. H begins.
"I want to give you the best thing that I can give you." Kagome's mother continues.
"I would like to adopt you."
Authors' note: Thank you for the all warm responses to my question last chapters. Most, the overwhelming majority, in fact, were highly supportive. Thank you.
A couple mentioned that since I've gone beyond a simple kag/sess storyline that might be the problem. Perhaps. But, Kagome Where are you was strictly a kag/sess storyline.
Kagome's return is not. In addition to wrapping up the sess/kag/inu triangle. (Which also means I've got to deal with the kag/inu/kikyo triangle.) Kagome's return includes parts of three other major storylines. The final fight with Naraku (that part is over) A storyline with Mrs H, Sango and Miroku, which is about to begin. (But it's short, so don't worry about that.) And the set up for my major storyline: Kagome: goddess of Japan. (Part is of it over, and the other part will finish this story.)
thank you for reading jeff shelton